Facebook is beginning a rollout of Sponsored Results search ads. The new ad unit can be used by marketers to target users searching specific apps, Pages and Places. The search ads link to sponsors’ own apps, page, custom page tab or particular post. At present though businesses cannot direct users off-site i.e. away from Facebook., but what makes them effective is that they appear at the top of your search results, which may result in diversion of traffic from the actual search content. Keep reading for more.
Facebook has been aggressively pursuing advertising ever since its IPO. The company even included huge banner ads on the logout screen in order to gain traction in the field. With share prices now half of its original value, Facebook needs to placate its investors to keep the ball rolling. Users have the option to hide a specific ad by clicking the ‘x’ button, revealed when hovering on the ad. This will bring a dialog to explain whether someone hid it as it was “Uninteresting, Misleading, Offensive, Repetitive”, with a few more options.
Advertisers meanwhile will soon be able to purchase Sponsored Results through the Power Editor, Facebook’s native Ads API tool. Facebook’s Ads API documentation for building third-party buying tools also contain references to Sponsored Results. Although Facebook has a huge user base, but it might not be able to compete with Google on the Ads front as people searching on Facebook generally search for something very specific. Nevertheless, with an evolving ad strategy Facebook can provide a competitive alternative.
Here’s the announcement sent to marketers from Facebook today:
Sponsored Results launches today and we wanted to share the details of this product with you. Everyday, many people on Facebook use our search to find people, places, and things. We want to help them better find and discover the brands, products, and experiences relevant to them. Sponsored Results gives brands the ability to buy ads in search results, bringing more awareness and traffic to your App, Page, or Place. Sponsored Results give you:
1. Expanded distribution of your message, with placement in one of the most used features on Facebook.
2. The ability to target what people are looking for, by appearing alongside related Apps, Pages, and Places.
3. Flexibility to customize your landing destination, such as a specific tab on your Page.
Brands are not able to drive offsite using this product, but you will have the ability to drive to specific Pages, Tabs, and Canvas Applications.
Sponsored Results will be available in Power Editor later today.
